MANILA, Philippines – The government of the Republic of Korea expressed its continued support to give language training to police personnel assigned in tourist destinations, to ensure seamless communication with Korean visitors in the country.
According to Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-hwa, they are “more than willing” to increase the number of policemen to undergo language training, courtesy of the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
“Yes. Then I went to Bohol in May. I saw tourist center policemen who were assisting, basically assisting the tourists, foreign tourists in Bohol. So, upon return, I shared that information, by my impression with Secretary [Ma. Christina Garcia] Frasco. She was very enthusiastic in promoting the tourism center police,” Ambassador Lee told reporters on Tuesday.
“So, through Korean Cultural Center and KOICA, we are more than willing to increase the number of policemen who will be willing to,” he added.
A KCC official also revealed on Tuesday that this is the second year that the KCC and KOICA will provide “free online language course” to tourist cops.
“The TOPCOP Special Language Class, which was kicked off last year with 24 students from different key destinations across the Philippines including Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Davao, and Clark. This year, the same number of students (police officers) from the same cities will receive the language class,” KCC Director Kim Myeongjin said via email interview.
According to the official, 24 police personnel are undergoing training this year from June to August from areas identified by the Department of Tourism (DOT) with the highest volume of Korean tourists.
The official partnership between the KCC and DOT and the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the Tourism Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection (TOP COP) Special Class was launched in 2010, to “ensure a safe environment for both local and foreign tourists,” the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea’s website stated.
In its latest iteration, the KCC offered a specialized Korean conversation class to selected TOP COP officers to equip them with “essential language skills” to better assist and protect Korean tourists, and to foster a “deeper cultural understanding and stronger bilateral ties between Korea and the Philippines.”
“This program represents a significant step towards improving the experiences of tourists in the Philippines, particularly from Korea, by bridging language gaps and enhancing cultural sensitivity,” according to the KCC.
The curriculum, designed specifically for police officers with no prior knowledge of the Korean language, emphasizes practical language use in real-life scenarios. The classes, which will be held online, will focus on key areas such as providing directions, and addressing basic inquiries, ensuring that the officers are well-prepared to handle a variety of situations involving Korean tourists, according to the website.
“The TOPCOP Special Class is more than just a language course. It is a symbol of friendship, of cultural exchange, and of our shared goal in creating a safe and inclusive environment for all tourists, especially for the thousands of Koreans who choose to visit and explore the beauty of the Philippines each year,” Director Kim added.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Lee remains optimistic that all efforts by both the Korean and Philippine government will help maintain the trend of Korean tourists as the number one source market of the Philippines, amidst the rising concern on the safety and security of foreign tourists in the country.
“We are proud to say that Korea has been number one among incoming tourists. We hope that trend will continue,” Lee mentioned.
“We are a bit concerned about the safety and security of the tourists. Only part of this year, there was some unfortunate incidents involving Korean tourists. So that affect the tourism. So, we are thankful in that regard, the swift and full cooperation from the Philippine authorities in ensuring safety and security of foreigners including Koreans are top priority,” Lee continued.
According to DOT data, South Korea is the Philippines’ top source market, delivering a solid 1,574,152 tourist arrivals in 2024 and contributed about USD 2.3 billion to the national economy.
For the first quarter of 2025 though, data showed a decrease in visitor arrivals from South Korea, citing “many factors” for low demand of outbound travel from the country.
Data from January to April revealed that about 468,337 South Korean travelers visited the Philippines, which is 18.03 percent lower compared to that from the same period last year.
The South Korean Embassy in Manila also informed its citizens through its website to take extra precaution when travelling to the Philippines to avoid being targeted by crimes.
Public safety issues, such as the kidnapping of foreigners, may have also contributed to the decline of visitor arrivals from South Korea, reports noted.
